Broomy Hill pumping station was built 165 years ago (in 1856) and the site is still used today for pumping water to Welsh Water’s treatment works.
The Museum’s collection totals over 3,500 items (including books, documents and records relating to the water industry).
In 2000, the Museum was on the listed buildings ‘at risk’ register and was at risk of closure.
The main Museum building is one of less than 6% of all Listed Buildings that is rated as Grade II*.
The Waterworks Museum was first established over 45 years ago in 1974.
Volunteers run every aspect of the Museum – we have no paid staff.
The Museum’s oldest exhibit, a horse drawn fire engine, dates to 1805 and was used on the estate at Stoke Edith.
To create the Noel Meeke Heritage Water Park a team of 30 volunteers gave over 2,300 hours of their time.
The Museum’s display in the Rotherwas Building is the only permanent exhibition dedicated to Hereford in WWII.
Our working triple-expansion steam engine, which stands two-floors high, was built in 1895 and continued in use supplying water to Hereford until 1952.
In 2015, volunteers welcomed over 5,400 visitors to the Museum (a record year).
The collection includes many important items of our industrial heritage, which but for the intervention of the Museum would have been lost forever.
